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Government, Politics, and Reform

George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln are all represented in the Museum's collections—by a surveying compass, a lap desk, and a top hat, among other artifacts. But the roughly 100,000 objects in this collection reach beyond the possessions of statesmen to touch the broader political life of the nation—in election campaigns, the women's suffrage movement, labor activity, civil rights, and many other areas. Campaign objects make up much of the collection, including posters, novelties, ballots, voting machines, and many others. A second group includes general political history artifacts, such as first ladies' clothing and accessories, diplomatic materials, ceremonial objects, national symbols, and paintings and sculptures of political figures. The third main area focuses on artifacts related to political reform movements, from labor unions to antiwar groups.

This cloth banner celebrates the electoral victory of Thomas Jefferson over John Adams in the presidential election of 1800. The banner is believed to be one of the earliest surviving textiles carrying partisan imagery, created at the dawn of the first American party system in which power passed from Federalists to Jeffersonian Republicans. Its imagery celebrates Jefferson's electoral victory, while denigrating Adams, his opponent. The banner pictures Jefferson's likeness below an eagle with a streamer in its beak that proclaims, "T. Jefferson President of the United States of America / John Adams is no more."

Suffragists from the National Woman’s Party made smaller versions of the banner used on the 1913 parade’s first float. These "Great Demand" banners were used in demonstrations and rallies and at suffrage headquarters. Marie Gilmer Louthan carried this one in suffrage parades

Throughout the North, Abraham Lincoln supporters organized grand campaign parades in small towns and large cities. This hand-painted cotton banner, approximately 47 1/2 inches high and 35 inches wide, was typical of the hundreds of banners produced by local Republican clubs to support Lincoln’s candidacy for the president.

In the summer of 1862, Lincoln drafted an executive order on slavery. Published in September, it declared that, as of January 1, 1863, all persons held in slavery in areas still in rebellion would be “then, thenceforward, and forever free.” Although the Emancipation Proclamation did not directly free any enslaved people in Union-controlled areas, it was widely understood that a Union victory would mean the end of slavery.

This paper banner celebrates the issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation.

One half of a set of Woman Suffrage Objection and Answer Banners. This banner was used in White House pickets supporting woman’s suffrage.

These banners took some of what suffragists considered the most ridiculous objections to woman suffrage and pointed out their folly using disarming humor. This set paired the Objection, "It would make women less attractive to men" with the Answer "If to be attractive means to be silly and irresponsible Yes. It depends on what you like."

One half of a set of Woman Suffrage Objection and Answer Banners. This banner was used in White House pickets supporting woman’s suffrage.

These banners took some of what suffragists considered the most ridiculous objections to woman suffrage and pointed out their folly using disarming humor. This set paired the Objection, "Women are TOO PURE for the DIRTY POOL of politics" and "Answer If the Pool is dirty THE TIME HAS COME TO CLEAN IT. Women have had Long Experience Cleaning up after Men."

One half of a set of Woman Suffrage Objection and Answer Banners. This banner was used in White House pickets supporting woman’s suffrage.

These banners took some of what suffragists considered the most ridiculous objections to woman suffrage and pointed out their folly using disarming humor. This set paired the Objection, "It would make women less attractive to men" with the Answer "If to be attractive means to be silly and irresponsible Yes. It depends on what you like."

One half of a set of Woman Suffrage Objection and Answer Banners. This banner was used in White House pickets supporting woman’s suffrage.

These banners took some of what suffragists considered the most ridiculous objections to woman suffrage and pointed out their folly using disarming humor. This set paired the Objection, "Women are TOO PURE for the DIRTY POOL of politics" and "Answer If the Pool is dirty THE TIME HAS COME TO CLEAN IT. Women have had Long Experience Cleaning up after Men."